Device for controlling the operation of two reproducing apparatus.



ymma W/M W F. E. THORMEYER.

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF TWO REPRODUOING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATIQN FILED JULY 28,1909.

- 989,207, Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I Inventor.

Witnesses F, E. THORMEYER.

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF TWO REPRODUGING APPARATUS.APPLICATION FILED JULY 28,1909.

989,207. Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor.

Witnesses. 6 Q J I V I Q? FRANZ EWALD THORMEYER, OF HAMBURG, GERMANY.

DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF TWO REPRODUCING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Application filed July as, 1909. Serial No. 510,023.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ EWALD THOR- MEYER, a citizen of Hamburg, intheGerman Empire, have invented a new and useful Device for Controllingthe Operation of Two Reproducing Apparatus, hereinafter fullyspecified.-

This invention relates to a device for controlling the operation of twoor more reproducing apparatus such as kinematographs, talking machines,musical instruments, movable figures and the like, which are driven byseparate means. Part of my invention also refers to devices of thiskind, where only one driving mechanism is employed to operate twomachines of the named description.

In working two or more reproducing apparatus such as picture exhibitingapparatus, kinematographs, talking-machines, musical instruments and thelike heretofore merely speed-indicating means were employed, which hadthe drawback, that the apparatus had to be continuously and carefullywatched and regulated while running. Moreover apparatus have been usedhereto fore consisting of a hand driven kinematograph and a motor-drivengramophone,

phonograph or talking-machine, between which clutch members are arrangedhaving a certain amount of play, so as to allow a certain freedom ofmotion of the kinematograph only for about one revolution of the talkingmachine. disadvantage that the clutch members catch hold of one anotherso that one driving mechanism is positively driven by the other and thatthere is no chance to regulate the speed of one apparatus independentlyfrom 'the other, when it should be necessary to compensate a disturbanceduring the performance.

According to the present invention speed indicating means are used forboth apparatus in combination with a regulating device and means tooperatively connect driving mechanism of the two'apparatus in such amanner, that normally the positive connection, which might be attainedby a clutch or the like, keeps the apparatus runnin synchronously, whileas soon as some disturbance takes place, for instance when the needle orstylus jumps from its proper place on" the record to another convolutionof the phonic line, the operator has to change the speed of oneapparatus by the aid of the regulating device at the same time watchingThis apparatus has the the speed indicating means. When by suchalteration of speed the two apparatus again work together, that is tosay, when for instance in case of kinematograph and talking machine theright words are spoken to the corresponding movements of the picture,the

clutch is again thrown into gear or otherwise the positive drivingmechanism is used again to obtain further synchronism. According toanother part of the present invention the positive connecting devicebetween gearings .of the apparatus is combined wlth the regulatingdevice so as to form one, slngle mechanism. Also the speed indicatingdeylces may be combined with a clutch mechanism to form' a singlemechanism for itself. Figure l'of the accompanying drawings showsdiagrammatically a kinematograph.

and a talking-machine driven by two separate motors in connection with adevice con: structed accord ng to the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically a similar' plant, in which the regulatingmeans are combined with a positive connection between the two apparatus'Fig. 3 shows a modification of the last named combination and Fig. 4shows diagrammatically a similar plant, inwhich the speed indicatingdevices are combined with a clutch ,mchanism. Fig. 5'is a detail frontview of the indicating device.

-In the plant shown in Fig. 1 thedriv-ing mechanisms comprise two springmotors 1 and. 1 arranged in acommon frame 1 and may be of any usualconstruction. The drums 2 of the motors containing the usual drivingsprings (not shown) are provided with a gear 3 and on each shaft 4 onwhich the drums are loosely arranged a toothed wheel 5 is keyed which isin mesh with.a

pinion 6. The shaft 6? of this pinion can be rotated by the aid of asuitable key to wind up the spring, which is fastened to the shaft 4with one end and to the drum 2 with the other end. The pinion 7 fixed ona shaft 8 (or 8* respectively) carrying a gear 9, which isin mesh with apinion 10 on another shaft 11 (or 11' respectively) carrying a gearwheel 12. The last named gear wheel is in mesh with a pinion 13 on theshaft 14 (or l4 respectively) of the usual weightreg'ulator 15. Theshaft 11 of the motor 1* on its outer end carries a pinion 16 in meshwith the driving gear 17 of the kinematograph 18 gear 3 is in mesh witha and the shaft 11 of the motor 1 carries at its outer end a conicalwheel 19 in mesh with a conical wheel on the s indle 21, to

which is attached the carrier-disk 22 for the record. The shafts 14 and14, of the two driving mechanisms are arranged in saline, and areprovided with prolongations carrying clutch members 23 and 23*,of which23 is fast on the shaft 14 while 23 is movable in a longitudinaldirection on the shaft 14, to throw the clutch in ,and out of gear,which may be done by a lever 24 pivoted at 25 to the frame not shown.The shaft 8, which may also be in a line with the shaft 8 carries aconical wheel 26 in mesh with a similar wheel 27 and the shaft 8 asomewhat smaller conical wheel 26 in mesh with a similar wheel 27*. Theshaft 28 of the wheel 27 is hollow and surrounds the shaft 28. To thefront end of the shaft 28 an indicating disk 29 is adjustably attachedprovided with a single or double dial (not shown) and to the front endof the shaft 28 a winter 29 is fixed preferably also adjusta 1 Thepoint-er 29 can move. in front of the disk 29, the zero line of which,may also be considered a pointer. If a .double dial is made use of onecircle ofv'diwith usual regulating means consisting of a visionscorresponds with the number of revolutions of the record of thetalkingmachine and the other circle of divisions corresponds with thenumbers of fpictures exhibited during one revolution 0 the record. Thespeed of the driving mechanisms is so regulated that the pointer 29continuously coincides with the zero line of the dial on the disk 29.

I The driving mechanisms are provided brake disk 30 attached to theshaft 14 or 14 respectively, a brake lever 31, a two armed lever 32 andan adjusting screw 33 or 33 respectively. The two armed lever 32 isspring pressed and so shaped, that on an inward motion of the'screw 33it is rocked on its pivot and turns the brake-lever 31 in suchdirection, that its inward end presses more or less against the brakedisk 30 to regulate the speed of the motor.

vThe adjusting screw 33 of one driving mechanism is provided with a cone34 adapted to contact with a spring-pressed bellcrank lever 35 one arm35 of which is shaped to constitute a pointer. Opposite the path of thispointer there is a segment 36 attached to a bracket 1 on the frame 1 andprovided with a scale and on this segment a loose pointer 37 is held byfriction so that it can 'slide along the segment.

Now when the driving mechanism of the talking machine is allowed to run'at its normal speed, that is to say the record carrier making 80revolutions in the minute, the speed of the other driving mechanism isregulated by adjusting the screw 33 until it \can be seen by.theposition of the ointer 29 with respect tothe zero line on t e'disk 29that both driving mechanisms run synchronously. In ad usting the screw33 the cone 34 acts on the spring-pressed bellcrank lever 35 to move thepointer 35 to a certain position corresponding to the speed of 80revolutions of the record tablet. This position may be marked on thesegment 36. In a similar way the position of the pointer 35 can beascertained for other speeds.' Now when a performance is to take place,the first that can be done is, to bring the loosepointer 37 to theosition on the segment corresponding with the speed the drivingmechanisms are desired to run. By this means it is possible to easilyfind the correct position of the pointer 35 when during the performancea disturbance has taken place. Normally the brake levers 31 are held bythe screws 33 and 33* respectively in such position that both drivingmechanisms run synchronously. Now should it happen, that on the recordthe needle jum s into a wrong convolution of the phonic line, so thatthe pictures exhibited no longer agree with the words or sounds, it isthe task of the operator to alter the speed of the driving mechanism ofthe kinematograph in such a way that the pictures correspond to thewords or .sounds heard from the talkin machine. When this isaccomplished, it"ls now his task to regulate the running of the drivingmechanism'of the kinematograph to its former speed, so as to obtainsynchronism of the two apparatus. This regulation is to be carried outby observing the pointers 35 and 37, since when first changing the speedof the driving mechanism of the kinematograph the pointer 35 moved awayfrom the pointer 37, but when synchronism again is desired the pointer35 must be returned, to a ain coincide with the pointer- 37, and this isdone by turning the screw 33. The finishing part of the adjustment iscarried out by observing the pointer 29 and the proper line of divisionof the dial on the disk 29 that should-coincide with the pointer. Whenthe desiredsynchronism of the two apparatus has been obtained, no matterwhether it is after starting the two apparatus or whether after adisturbance has been rectified, it is necessary to uphold thesynchronous working of the two driving mechanisms. This is doneadvantageously 'by connecting the two driving mechanisms by a clutchthat can be thrown into and out of gear. In the construction shown inFig. 1 a clutch mechanism of this description has been made use of. Bymoving the lever 24 to the right the clutch member 23 is moved to theleft, thus throwing it into gear with the clutch member 23, whereuponthe operator no longer'need watch the apparatus,

since there is no fear of their losin their 4 synchronism, until somedistinctive isturbance takes place in the performance. Then the operatormust throw the clutch out of gear and regulate as described above.

Any kind of motors or driving means operated by hand or mechanically canbe used instead of the spring motors shown.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the means to positively connect thetwo apparatus is combined with the regulating means to form a compoundmechanism. The motor 38 for driving the record carrier 39 is used to.rotate the brushes 40 of a current distributer 41 of known construction,for distributing the current for an electromotor 42, which operates thekinematog-raph by the gearing hereinafter described. The motor 42 isprovided with a shaft 43 having keyed thereto four gear wheels 44, 45,46 and 47. The gear-wheel 44 meshes with a gearwheel 48 preferably ofequal size fast on a hollow shaft 49, slidably arranged on the drivingshaft of the kinematograph 51. This hollow shaft which also carries twomore gear-wheels 52 and 53, adapted to mesh with the gear wheels 45 and46 respectively, can be moved along the shaft 50 by a hand. lever 54, tothrow the gearing 44, 48 forming the positive connection between theapparatus spoken of above, out of gear and to either throw. the gears 45and 52 or 46 and 53 into gearasrequirement demands, the gears 45 and 52being constructed in such proportion as to allow the kinematograph 51 torun with a high speed and the gears 46 and 53 being so constructed-as todrive the kinematograph slowly. The gear 47 is of conical shape andmeshes with a conical gear 55 integral with a tubular shaft 56 carryingat its end the disk 57 and surrounding a shaft 58, which atone end isprovided with the pointer 57 and at the other end with a conical gear 59in mesh with another conical gear 60 fastened to the shaft 50. The disk57 and the pointer 57 constitute the speed indicating devices andcorrespond with 29' and 29 of Fig. 1. The gears 48 and 44 constitute thepositive connection for the two apparatus that can be thrown out of.gear by the hand lever 54 and the gears 45, 52 and 46, 53 constitute thespeed regulating means spoken of above, When a disturbance in theperformance takes place as a consequence of the needle jumping into awrong convolution of the phonic line or of a number of pictures in thefilm of the kinemaltograph '52, 45 or 53, 46 into having been omitted,the'hand lever 54- is moved toone side, so as to throw the gears 48, 44out of mesh and either of the gears ear. The kinematograph thereuponwill 0 iange its speed and in a short time sounds and pictures willagain correspond. Assoon as this takes place the h and-lever ismoved toits, former position nection spoken of above.

to allow the kinematograph again to'bc drivenby the gearing 44, 48.

The gears 45, 52 and 46, 53 may be replaced by conical pulleys 45 52 and46 53" 'as shownin Fig. 3, which preferably may beprovided with acentral cylindrical part, so as not to change the speed -until thegear-wheel 48 is disengaged from the gear 44. The belt shifter 61 iscombined with the hand lever 54 that is designed'to move the gear 48axially on the shaft 50.

equal running of the apparatus can be ob-' served by the pointer 57" anddisk 57.

Should itbe desired, the gears 44 and 48 may .be omitted altogether inthe modification shown in Fig. 3, the center part of the conical pulleysconstitutingt-he positive con- In this case the belt 62 may be held inthe central position by any suitable .means. 3

Other means to regulate the speed of the apparatus may be designed tosubstitute those shown.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 themeans for positively connectingmoving parts between the two apparatus 18 combined with the speedregulating means' The shaft 63 of the motor 64 driving the recordcarrier 65 of the talking machine-is provided with a conical drivinggear 66 in mesh with a conical gear 67 fastened to disk 69 which isloose on a suitably journaled shaft 68. This disk 69 is provided with anumber of teeth 70 and serves both as an indicating disk, similar to thedisk 29 shown in Fig. 1, and as a clutch member similar to' 23. At ashort distance from this disk 69 there is a tubular slide 71 axiallymovable on the shaft 68v carrying a tongue 72 at one end and engaging ahand lever 73, by the aid of which the tongue 72 may be brought in orout of gear with the teeth 70 on the disk 69. The tongue serves both aspointer similar to 29 and also as clutch member similar to 23 of Fig. 1.It will be clearly understood, that the tubular slide 71 rotatestogether with the shaft 68. The kinematograph 73 is driven by anelectromotor 74, the speed of which may be regulated by resistances 75that are cut out .of or introduced into the circuit in a known manner.In the modification shown the -by the motor 74, however it may be also1-30 driven directly from this motor or by other intermediate gearings.The disk 69 will be provided with dials similar to the-disk 29 of Fig. 1and the proper line of division will be normally opposite the pointer.or clutch member 72. hen not in gearthis member will move away, from thesaid position with respect to the said division line as soon as ,theapparatus run at difierent speeds. At

the moment synchronism is again obtained the speed must be regulated insuch way that the pointer 72 will continuously remain in its positionwith regard. to the disk 69.

I claim:

1. A device for controlling the operation of two reproducing apparatuscomprising driving mechanisms for the two apparatus, means forindicating the relative speed of said apparatus, regulating means forcontrolling the relative speed of the driving mechanisms and .means fornormally con necting said driving mechanisms.

2. A device for controlling the operation of two reproducing apparatuscomprising driving mechanisms for the two apparatus,

clutch members between said driving mechanisms, regulating means for thelatter, and means for indicating the relative speed of said apparatus.3. A device of two reproducing apparatus comprising driving mechanismsfor the two apparatus,

means for indicating the relative speed of said apparatus, regulatingmeans for the lating means for controllin for controlling the operationdriving mechanisms, and means for positively connecting the latter; a I

4. A device for controlling the operation of two reproducing apparatuscomprising two independent driving mechanisms, one for each apparatus,means for positively, connecting and disconnecting said drivingmechanisms, and regulating means to control the operation of one of thedriving mechanisms when disconnected from the other.

5. device for controlling the operation of two reproducing apparatuscomprising driving mechanisms for the two apparatus, means forindicating the relative speed of the operating shafts of said apparatus,regu- FRANZ EWALD THORMEYER. I Witnesses:

MAX KAEMPEF, v ERNEST H. L. MUMMENHOFF.

